Merry Christmas, Night Vale
by EllenJai
Summary: Cecil surprises Carlos for Christmas, and so Carlos surprises him back.


**Note: This is terrible and awful and tooth-rotting fluff. I felt like I needed to make up for my last fic.**

* * *

Cecil was so excited he was nearly buzzing with it. He was perched on the table, more leaning than sitting, and shaking his foot like he was trying to get something off of it. He couldn't wait for Carlos to get home.

And he knew he'd come home tonight because he'd _promised, _over and over, grinning and kissing Cecil at least seventeen times in the doorway. "It's Christmas Eve," he'd murmured. "There's nothing that can keep me at the lab longer than I need to be tonight."

And so Cecil waited, facing the doorway, grinning to wide it hurt his cheeks. He couldn't wait for Carlos to see what he'd done with their apartment.

When Carlos had left at exactly 9:07 that morning, their apartment had looked drab. Normal. There were some clothes scattered across the furniture, a couple plates on the coffee table, nothing out of the ordinary. But Cecil had set to work changing that at exactly 9:08.

First, he'd cleaned everything until it was spotless. The counters in the kitchen and the coffee table practically shined. Then, he'd gone out to Old Woman Josie's and gotten the tree.

It was a massive thing, reaching almost to the ceiling (not quite, though: there needed to be room for the topper!). It was fat and round, the branches reaching at least three feet from the base at it's smallest.

It was _perfect. _Cecil had made a mental note to make Josie something to thank her for it.

Once he had the tree inside and situated, with the help of the not-angelic Erikas, he started on the decorating. First, he did the lights; not just on the tree, but everywhere – across the tops of the walls and lining the doors, and some decorating the dining table and chairs. After all the lights were in place, he moved to the other decorations. He was careful to keep it, as Carlos put it, "real world traditional," and left out all the soft meat decorations that he had stored in the bottom of the fridge. It was a little disappointing, but Cecil knew that Carlos wasn't a huge fan of Night Vale's Christmas traditions.

It had taken nearly eight hours to get it all done and perfect, but Cecil had done it.

Now he just had to wait for Carlos to come home and see it.

* * *

Carlos was almost surprised to find it snowing when he exited his lab. Almost.

By all reasoning, it shouldn't have been snowing. It was still at least sixty degrees outside, and Night Vale experienced so little precipitation that it was almost miraculous that the town survived, but it was snowing. Carlos laughed out loud.

Maybe he'd have a white Christmas after all.

Still grinning, he'd adjusted his lab coat and continued home. The snow muffled everything, and softened the lights from town; it really, really felt like Christmas. Carlos laughed again. He couldn't believe it was possible to be this happy.

But he was this happy, and the warm light in his chest only expanded the closer he got to home.

Home, he thought. My home with Cecil. _Our _home.

The idea made him giddy, and he sped up a little, until he was nearly running up the stairs to their apartment. He couldn't wait to see Cecil, and give him gifts, and kiss him until they both dissolved into giggling.

"Cecil," he called as he unlocked the door, "I'm –"

His words died on his lips when he looked up. The entire apartment was transformed. It looked like its own little wonderland – lights and decorations and Cecil, standing there in a ridiculous sweater. A grin broke across his face and he laughed.

* * *

Cecil wasn't expecting Carlos' reaction, but it was even better than what he'd been expecting. A wide, excited grin spread across his face, and he laughed – oh, that laugh – and then Cecil was spinning, caught up in his scientist's arms.

"Carlos!" Cecil giggled. "Welcome home!"

Carlos put him down, but didn't let go of him. Instead, he rested his forehead on Cecil's, grinning, and squeezed him tighter. "You're amazing, Cecil."

Cecil's cheeks flushed with color, and it only deepened when Carlos kissed them in response. "I hoped you would like it."

Carlos chuckled, a low, happy noise that made Cecil shiver. "Like it? Cecil, I _love _it. You're so perfect."

They kissed, and Cecil was sure he never wanted to leave this moment.

"Carlos," he whispered, finally, after a long moment of repeated kisses. "Carlos, I have a present for you."

Carlos grinned. "Good. I have one for you, too."

Cecil felt a little jitter of excitement run through him. "Let me go get it?" he asked, and Carlos nodded, but squeezed him again before he let go. Cecil left a kiss on his cheek.

Carlos watched him go with a smile on his face. Humming softly, he reached into his pocket to make sure Cecil's gift was still there – and it was, warm and safe. Just touching it made Carlos shiver with excitement.

Cecil came back with what looked like a lamp draped with material. "I tried really hard to make it look realistic," he murmured, his cheeks deep purple with embarrassment. He set the gift on the table. "Promise you won't laugh if it's terrible?"

Carlos shook his head. "Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll love it," he murmured, kissing Cecil's jaw. Cecil giggled and leaned closer, snaking an arm around Carlos' waist.

"Here goes," he said brightly, and pulled the material off the gift with a flourish.

Carlos lost his breath. In front of him was another Christmas tree – but this one was made with his instruments, and filled with what he hoped was colored water and not actual chemicals.

"Cecil!" he half-squealed, and reached out to touch it. When he did, it rocked just slightly, and spun – he gasped and did it again, pushing lightly. The entire layer spun in counter to the other layers.

"Cecil!" he screeched again, and kissed him. "This is – how did you do it?"

Cecil giggled. "I found it on the internet, and made it."

Carlos kissed him soundly. "It's amazing. You're perfect."

Cecil just grinned and kissed him again. "I'm glad you like it."

Carlos became nervous, all of the sudden. "Uhm," he murmured. "I have – I have something for you, too, like I said, and –" he took a breath. "Cecil," he whispered, right into Cecil's ear, as he pulled the gift from his pocket.

"Cecil," he repeated, nuzzling slightly into Cecil's neck, "I wanted to know – would you – do you think – will you…marry me?"

With that, he slipped the little ring onto Cecil's finger, and felt his heart do a very unnatural flipping thing in his chest.

Then, he was on the ground, with a very excited Cecil on top of him.

"Carlos!" he squealed, peppering Carlos' entire face with kisses and little licks, something he was known to do when over-excited. Carlos even thought he saw Cecil's tentacles flickering into reality, and grinned.

"Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, oh," Cecil continued, breathlessly, "yes – of course, _yes!_"

All of Carlos' breath whooshed out of his chest just then, and he was left gasping, laughing in between, as Cecil continued kissing his face. "My god," he muttered. "You said yes."

Cecil giggled and kissed the tip of his nose. "Of course I said yes, Carlos," he smiled.

Carlos took a deep breath. "This is the best Christmas ever."

Cecil giggled again. "It is."


End file.
